Bill Wong, OTD, OTR/L: OT in TEDx Events
In this episode, we will learn from Bill Wong, OTD, OTR/L, an Occupational Therapist who is a speaker and producer of TEDx Events. Bill has been practicing occupational therapy for 10 years. His primary setting is in skilled nursing facility settings. He also is an adjunct instructor and thesis advisor for Stanbridge University's MSOT program as well as an active member of AOTA. He has served in the Representative Assembly in 2017-2020, Volunteer Leadership Development Committee in 2020-2022, and currently is a co-facilitator for the Autism Community of Practice group. Bill is also an OT conference junkie, as he has attended 50 OT conferences inside and outside of the United States thus far in his career. Finally, aside from having 3 TEDx talks under his name as a speaker, Bill has been an active TEDx event licensee since 2018. He has produced 23 TEDx talks as of this recording and is planning to produce more in the coming years.
Q & A with Bill:
Please tell us a little about yourself and some of your favorite occupations:
Golf, organizing TEDx events, and traveling are my favorite occupations.
I have been an OTR for now 10 years. My primary practice setting is at SNF. But, I also teach as an adjunct at Stanbridge University’s MSOT program. Currently, I am also one of the co-facilitators for AOTA’s Autism Community of Practice group. I am also a member of Occupational Therapists for Environmental Action and Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education.
What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?
While organizing TEDx events is not as sexy or glamorous action as speaking at them, it is actually a more proactive action. I feel that we possess many transferrable skills to succeed in organizing TEDx events, but OTP’s and OTS’s need to try this. The profession can’t have only 1 expert in the world in this area. Besides, this is the best way to increase opportunities for deserving OTP’s and OTS’s to share OT’s distinct values to general public.
Please describe the UncommonOT work that you do and the setting in which you work, the population you serve and the needs that you address.
Refer to previous response
What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?
The late Terry Olivas De La O was my first professional development mentor. She knew that I have potential of showcasing OT’s distinct value to general public. So, she mentored me to be an expert in this area before she passed away in 2014. I am doing this to continuously honor her legacy.
How did you get there? Can you describe your path?
I was about to walk away before COVID because I lost several thousand dollars for my first event. But, because I still was connected to the TEDx organizers community during COVID, I took advantage of opportunities to learn from how others organize their TEDx events. It was then I realized that I failed was not because I was not capable. Rather, it was because I didn’t prepare well, which led me to making mistakes and bad decisions. But once I realized what my mistakes were and how I can correct them, I made the necessary adjustments to make it a sustainable venture.
Please describe a typical day or OT session at your uncommon setting? What OT skills do you utilize?
Typically, because of the volume of TEDx events I organize, I don’t move from one event to the next. Rather, I organize them pretty much concurrently. I use motivational interviewing, leadership and management, ethics, community programming development, ability to adapt tasks in designing just right challenge.
Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?
My first event was a pretty low point because I lost several thousand dollars back in 2019. A high is whenever I get to see talks that I worked extremely hard with my speakers on getting published. I think a challenge is that I am aware I produce triple or quadruple the output of a typical academic in any discipline in this arena.
How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role?
I did most of that during COVID- when I got a chance to observe other events that I otherwise wouldn’t have attended for logistics reasons.
Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting? How do OT or the services you provide get funded?
None- you are not supposed to make a profit in this venture.
But if you are organizing a fancy virtual event or any in-person event, you better need non-profit organization to make sure all donations to the event are tax deductible. You also need business sponsors to help support event related expenses. Of course, you definitely will need a strong team to help you fundraise money to make the event operational.
Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?
Just buckle up and do it… and don’t look down! Also, don’t procrastinate! Plan early and stick to your plan… unless it is absolutely necessary to change course.
Also, there are resources such as TEDxCommunity (TED’s version of CommunOT), Solving for X podcast, past TEDx Community Hangout recordings, and TEDxCommunity Facebook page. Use them when you are stuck in particular aspects of organizing these events for the first time.
What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?
Many people don’t know that if you take part in organizing a TEDx event, you are not allowed to be a speaker at it. Also, you are not allowed to use crowdsourcing to raise funds for your event.
How do we find you, follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?
@BillWongOT- Twitter
Please list any resources you would like me to include with your Show Notes (courses, articles, assessments, tools, etc.)
TEDxHub- TED’s version of CommunOT. https://tedxhub.ted.com/login
Solving for x podcast- podcast on tips and tricks on organizing TEDx events. https://on.soundcloud.com/kvusd
TEDxCommunity Hangout recordings (you can access them once you are able to get into TEDxHub)- more tips and tricks on organizing TEDx events
As always, I welcome any feedback & ideas from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
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